ICYMI: FG is probing 200 tips of whistle-blowers-Adeosun

The Federal
Government has begun investigation into over 200 whistleblowing tips on corrupt
practices by tax officials and tax payers, according to NAN.

Mr
Oluyinka Akintunde, the Special Adviser, Media and Communications to the
Minister of Finance said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that the cases were
in connection with connivance to cheat the federal government.

According
to Akintunde, the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, disclosed the
investigation when she presided over the meeting of the Whistleblower Unit in
the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Presidential Initiative on Continuous
Audit (PICA).

Adeosun
said the ministry had also commenced the process of sanitising the tax
administration and revenue collection system of dishonest operatives.

Adeosun
added that the sanitisation of the tax administration and revenue collection
system was part of the government’s efforts at enhancing the willingness of
citizens to pay their taxes.

She
said that the Federal Ministry of Finance had requested and secured the
suspension of two senior Tax Officials in Delta and Benue States based on
verified tips from Whistle-blowers.

“The
Ministry is currently analysing over 200 additional whistleblowing tips
including recordings between tax officials and potential taxpayers in which
various practices, designed to reduce tax payable, were detailed.

In
order to deal with the influx of the whistleblowing tips, Adeosun has directed
the reorganisation of the Whistle-blower Unit to fast track reports relating to
those in the revenue generating agencies.

“Encouraging
our citizens to pay taxes is a matter of law but it is also a matter of trust.
Those who work in our tax offices must therefore demonstrate the highest level
of integrity.

“The
Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari understands that to reduce our
reliance on oil means every citizen must pay their taxes as and when due.

“However,
people will not be encouraged to pay if they believe that those involved in the
assessment are not transparent or are dishonest. We will continue to sanitise
the system and also improve our controls,” she said.

Adeosun
said that the ministry would continue to route fraudsters from compromising the
integrity of the tax administration and revenue collection system.

She
lauded members of the public for volunteering valuable information including
voice recordings and other evidence to the Whistleblower Unit in the Ministry.